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Business groups: disclosure curbs speech

More than 80 trade associations and business groups sent President Barack Obama a letter May 16 asking him to drop a proposed executive order requiring government contractors to disclose their political spending. The order would require companies bidding on federal government contracts, like giant defense contractors Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics, to disclose political contributions of more than $5,000 a year made within the last two years, including those going to trade associations. Under current law, companies report PAC contributions to candidates and political parties, but not to nonprofits, including politically active trade associations. “It is injecting… Read More